The beginning of summer is often synonymous with the return of mosquitoes, bees and flying insects of all kinds.
This year, the observation is unequivocal for Cyprien Ferrier, at the head of a pest control company: wasps predominate.
"
Compared to last year, I intervene much more for wasps than for hornets
", assures the professional.
He notes a 20 to 30% increase in wasp nest destruction operations.
“
I especially notice that we are ahead.
For twenty years, I start at the beginning of June, even at the end of May.
In 2022, I started wasp nests around May 10,
"says the boss of the company" Bees and Pests ".
Responsible global warming
The responsible for this early return of the wasps would be global warming.
For Cyprien Ferrier, last winter was “
very mild, so most of the insects didn't die
”.
A theory confirmed by Eric Darrouzet, researcher at the University of Tours: "
We observe that the size of the colonies is a month ahead
".
However, the specialist would like to point out that the increase in the number of wasps is “
very variable
”.
“
This phenomenon is very localized.
At the national level, we do not note more wasps
”, nuance Quentin Rome, wasp specialist at the National Museum of Natural History.
Read alsoTiny wasps to fight insect pests
In the natural reproduction cycle of the species, the wasps - more precisely the workers, future queens - hibernate all winter in protected places such as underground cavities or under roofs.
“
We estimate that 90% of future queens die during this period due to the cold or lack of stored food
,” explains Eric Darrouzet of the Institute for Research on Insect Biology (IRBI).
If no results have yet been published, specialists assume that this figure has decreased significantly in 2022, due to abnormally high temperatures.
How to protect yourself from it?
To be quiet at mealtime, experts advise placing food in a distant place, at least an hour before, to focus the attention of wasps.
In the presence of a nest, “
you have to respect the buffer zone
”, informs Eric Darrouzet, that is to say not to approach the hearth within a radius of five meters.
Read alsoThe bad reputation of wasps
Workers regularly monitor the surroundings.
“
If they think we are too close, they can attack
”, warns the IRBI researcher, before adding: “
For these insects, what matters most is the colony, beyond their own life.
When an intruder presents a danger, they attack
.”
Despite its reputation, the wasp is not aggressive if not threatened.
Necessary for the environment
Nevertheless, while wasps are commonly perceived as dangerous insects, they are necessary for the proper functioning of our ecosystem.
“These
are predators whose role is to regulate other species that may be overabundant
,” explains Quentin Rome.
“
The nest workers hunt insects and anything they can find: dead birds, animals or even humans
,” explains Eric Darrouzet.
Scientists call them "
generalist predators
", which is why they are also attracted to our food.
Their life is conditioned by the search for food to keep for hibernation and to feed the growing larvae.
Read alsoThe oriental hornet, new enemy of bees
Like bees, “
wasps are pollinators that feed on nectar
,” recalls Quentin Rome.
It is for this reason that hornets - which are "
big wasps
" - are protected in Germany, according to Eric Darrouzet.
"
Trained people relocate the nests to a safe place, instead of destroying them
."
In the Jardin des Plantes (5th arrondissement, Paris), for example, "
if a nest is in a place that allows it, we block its access to passers-by to avoid destroying it
", says the specialist from the Museum of Natural History. .
And researcher Eric Darrouzet recalls: “
Every living thing plays a role in the environment.
We live in an interconnected chain in which we must not create an imbalance
”.